Boston Marathon 2013

Over the past few days we have been inundated with devastating images of the senseless tragedy that took place at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. We have been paralyzed by fear and heartbreak and anger and sadness. We have cried for the victims and wandered around in the fog of disbelief. We have seen so much tragedy.

These are not those pictures. These are pictures of the our city’s proudest day. Marathon Monday is everything. It’s the most beautiful display of humanity and community this country has to offer. We hug strangers, we run for the love of something bigger than us, we scream for hours to support people we’ve never met, we cry because we are so overwhelmed with joy and pride, we stand or run along a route for 26.2 miles as one big happy family. Hate does not exist on Marathon Monday. This is what it’s all about. This is the courage – the compassion – the community. This is the powerful coming together of strangers in love and support of one another that defines the Boston Marathon.

Your video touched my heart and lifted my spirits. I haven't been able to stop crying over these last couple days....it was nice to cry because I was watching something so beautiful! Very well done! Amazing! Thank you!

After the events on 4-15-13 there was so much dissapointment and sadness. Seeing this video made me smile and remember the reason why I ran this marathon. I might not have finished but I know I will next time. You did a great job capturing the feelings we all had throughout the race! Good Job I loved it. Thank you

Thank you. It's been so hard to process everything. Thank you for reminding us why we ran -- to celebrate and to help people in need. We will forever be a community bound by this experience and as a community we will endure, be stronger and show that love and compassion will always prevail.

THANK YOU ~ These pictures capture what the Marathon has always stood for- love, pride, joy, success, selflessness, and the unbreakable spirit of the heart- now and always. I enjoyed these faces and the emotions on them more than any other year...and I have been watching the marathon for more than 30 years. Thank you!

Thank you for this incredible collection of photos...you've captured the joy, pride, exhilaration, triumph, and endurance of all these runners and cheerleaders so beautifully. Along with the music you picked...the whole thing lifts me up. Last week was extremely hard, and it feels so good to be uplifted. I love you guys.

Thanks so much for making me smile. You're absolutely right - we've been inundated with pictures of tragedy and darkness, and yet what we need most is to remember the beauty of this amazing day and the wonderful team that is the MGH marathon team for kids' cancer. Thank you for bringing a smile to my face after a week and a half of nothing but sad reminders of the tragic events of the day. See you next year, MGH!